Electric insulator



Dec. 12, 1950 E. H. PRATT ET AL ELECTRIC INSULATOR Filed Sept. 17, 1945 War/719% Patented Dec. 12, 1950 ELECTRIC INSULATOR Elbert H. Pratt and Ralph 0. Christie, Kansas City, Mo.; said Christie assignor to said Pratt Application September 17, 1945, Serial No. 616,682

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in electric insulators and has particular reference to spool insulators for electric fence gates.

The principal object of the present invention is the provision of an electric spool insulator for electric fences having electric conductors adjustably secured about the body thereof and having a pair of diametrically disposed arms to receive the fence wires whereby a continuous electric conductor is formed.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an electric spool insulator having a band conductor secured about the body of said insulator and provided at its one side with a fence wire securing arm and at its other side with a gate securing hook whereby to form a continuous electric conductor from said fence wire to said gate.

Other objects are sturdiness and economy of construction, efficiency of operation, and adaptability for use as an electrical conductor where electrical conductors attached thereto are positioned under tension.

With these objects in view as well as other objects which will appear during the course of the specification, reference will be had to the.

drawing wherein Figure 1 is an elevational view of an electric spool insulator embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line IIII of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of the insulator shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a modified form of the insulator shown in side elevation.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line VV of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an elevational view partly broken away of an electric fence gate embodying the electric spool insulators.

Throughout the several views like reference characters refer to similar parts and the numeral 8 designates an insulator having a spool insulator 10 made of porcelain or some other electrical insulating material. This spool is provided with an axial hole [2 through which a suitable fastening means such as a nail or screw may be inserted and driven into a post for supporting the insulator carrying a fence wire. Spool I0 is provided with an annular end groove 14 and a recess It at its opposite end. This recess I6 is centrally located so as to form an annular flange l8 which will rest against the face of a post when the insulator is secured thereon for supporting the electric fence conducting rivets 44.

members. Adjacent the outer end of spool it is a relatively broad annular groove 20 having a slightly narrower groove 22 formed in the bottom thereof. Intermediate groove 20 and the bearing flange is a relatively narrow groove 24. An electric conductor 26 made of two sections 28 and 3e are each provided with a semi-circular section 32 and 34 respectively which are of proper width to snugly fit into annular groove 22. Section 28 is provided with two radially disposed sections as and 38 while the member 30 is provided with radially disposed arms 49 and 42. These arms of the two sections are adapted to fit together adjacent the spool and are secured against relative movement by means of Section 38 of member 28 i twisted one quarter turn at 46 and formed at its outer extremity to present a hook 48. The metal of the hook is arcuate in cross section to receive a gate tightening lever as hereinafter described. The elongated radial section 42 of member 39 extends beyond section 36 of member 28 and is provided with an opening 50 through which a bolt is passed for securing a fence wire thereto.

The modified form of insulator shown as 52 in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 is provided with an identical insulating spool l0 as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The conductor in the modified form is made up of two members 30 to provide like wire attaching means at its opposite ends. These parts are numbered as in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 and can be readily identified as like parts.

In the electric fence gate shown in Fig. 6 these insulators are shown as 8 and 52 secured to fence or gate posts 54 and 56 respectively by means of screws 53. These posts are set to support the fence and gate wire at the proper distance above the ground surface to suit the particular class of animals being fenced. The fences 58 at opposite sides of the gate are secured by bolts 60 which pass through holes 50 formed in arm 42.

One end of the gate wire 62 is fixedly attached to an arm 42 of the conductor 26 by means of loop 64. This gate wire is shown as the ordinary barbed fence wire and is provided at its free end with a take-up lever member 66 having an S section 68 at its one end and an electrical insulating knot 64 at its other end. This lever is so constructed that it may be positioned in the hook member 48 when the gate wire is slacked and then drawn to the taut position whereby the wires interconnecting with the conductors 26 will be forced together to form electrical connections.

It will be noted that the conductors 2B are so positioned on the insulators ID that they can be moved thereabout to permit of proper aligning of the wires. These insulators with attached conductors suitable for connecting the electric fence wire and gate wire thereto are easily positioned on the fence post and will insure good electrical contact when the wires are maintianed taut. These insulators are adapted for use in gate construction for electric wire fencing, for connecting sections of wire used in the fence construction, and for various other purposes where a continuous and efficient conductor is required. It is well known in the art that these electrically charged fense wires are necessarily charged throughout their length entirely about the pasture containing the livestock.

What we claim as new and desire to cover by Letters Patent is:

1. An electric insulator comprising a spool having an axially disposed hole formed therethrough and having a broad annular recess formed thereabout, a relatively narrow annular recess formed at the base of said broad recess and in spaced relation to the outer edges thereof, an electric conductor including a circular member mounted for rotational movement in said narrow annular recess, and having radially disposed arms extending outwardly from opposite sides of said annular circular member for engaging the terminal members of an electric circuit, one of said arms being formed to present a hook whereby the associated terminal member may be easily detached therefrom, said arms being disposed in spaced relation from the side Walls of said broad annular recess.

2. An electric insulator comprising a spool recessed at its opposite ends and having an axially disposed hole formed therethrough and hav ing a broad annular recess formed thereabout concentric with said axial hole, a relatively narrow annular recess formed at the base of said broad recess and in spaced relation to the outer edges thereof, an electric conductor including a circular member mounted in said narrow annular recess, and having radially disposed arms extending outwardly from opposite sides of said annular circular member for engaging the terminal members of an electric circuit, said arms being disposed in spaced relation from the side walls of said broad annular recess.

ELBERT H. PRATT.

RALPH C. CHRISTIE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 526,498 Osyor Sept. 25,1894 W5 133,755 Schickluna July 14, 1903 858,952 Carter July 2, 1907 862,758 Pratt Aug. 6, 1907 1,339,988 Steinberger May 11, 1920 1,610,012 Jordan Dec. 7, 1926 2,181,802 Faires et al Nov. 28, 1939 2,222,810 Daily Nov. 26, 1940 2,235,102 Fleener Mar. 18, 1941 2,306,661 Gengle'r Dec. 29, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS 35 Number Country Date 5,781 England of 1908 

